Restaurants usually price wine as a multiple of the trade price, and the multiple tends to be steepest at the bottom of the list, where house bottles carry fixed costs like glassware, breakage, storage and staff time. Further up, many operators switch to a cash margin, adding a set amount rather than multiplying, which makes good bottles comparatively better value and nudges guests to trade up. The old belief that the second-cheapest bottle is the worst deal is sometimes true and sometimes a myth; it depends entirely on how the list was built. By-the-glass ranges, protected by preservation systems or needle-through-cork devices, let venues sell premium wine without opening whole bottles that might die.
Corkage is another lever: a fair fee covers service and glassware while still welcoming the guest who brings something special. Remember that VAT sits on top of every price, so a list that looks greedy may simply be passing on tax and overheads. The best lists are transparent in spirit even when the maths stays private.
What we ask on the show
- How do you build a wine list that makes money without making guests feel fleeced?
- Is cash-margin pricing the future, or does it only work for fine-dining rooms?
- What's your honest view on corkage, and when should a venue waive it?
- Which bottle on your list is the real bargain, and why?